Land Alienation, Ownership Rights and Indigenous Power Relations in Swaziland.

Abstract

Land bears enormous social, economic, cultural and political significance in present-day Swaziland. Duality in land tenure exists in the form of the traditional communal system which is practised on Swazi Nation Land (SNL), and the individual modern system that operates on Individual Tenure Farms (ITF).




A historical perspective on the evolution of land tenure systems in the country is given. The land tenure and indigenous empowerment structures are examined in terms of existing land rights and the hierarchy of land controlling and allocating communities and their contribution to the indigenous power relations on SNL. The implications of these structures on the rights of women to land and their empowerment is discussed. The emerging power of indigenous Swazi landowners is highlighted.




Key observations are that: SNL constitutes about 60% of the land in Swaziland; the traditional land tenure system has concentrated land controlling and allocating powers in the hands of a traditional aristocracy that operates at national through homestead levels; power is exercised through the Swazi Nation, chiefdoms, wards and homesteads; access to land is through the right of avail which is a general right held by the community as a whole, but in which every member automatically participates; access to land is influenced by gender, and is in favour of empowering men than women; indigenous Swazis are gradually obtaining access to individual tenure land, with increasing opportunities for women to own land; indigenous landowners have generally maintained their relationships with the traditional power structure; and the problem of squatters and tenants is a reflection of the disempowering consequences of land alienation.



Review of Southern African Studies Volume 3 No. 1 June 1999, pp. 60-100